QT 11/6/2025 Gen 31:1–9, Learning lessons the hard way

Genesis 31:1–9 (ESV) —

1 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The spotted shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.

 

NOTE: This was a difficult and tense period in Jacob’s life. He could feel the resentment of Laban’s sons, who accused him of becoming wealthy at their father’s expense. Their accusation was partly true, but it was God who judged Laban for his deceit, not Jacob. Ideally, Laban and his sons would recognize this and repent, but for now, anger prevails.

 

Jacob realizes that God has been at work all along. Now, God speaks to Jacob just as He did to Abraham and Isaac, instructing him to return home. After more than twenty years of hard lessons, Jacob is finally beginning to understand that it has always been God guiding him. He is becoming aware of his own unworthiness and his need to rely fully on God, rather than on his own schemes.

 

PONDER:

1. Why are we slow to learn important lessons?
2. Why do we struggle to truly move on from lessons we’ve already learned?
3. Jacob ran away from Esau’s threat, and now he’s running from Laban and his sons. Jacob is always running, and only now (see Genesis 32) is he learning that he truly needs God, not possessions.

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray to put to bed the things you have been teaching me. I don't want to have to learn them over and over again. I pray for you hand to lead and guide. I pray to trust in your plans. I pray that you would use my life in these last days to help people come to know Jesus.